| ARTIST BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: |
Dale Auger is Sakaw Cree from the Bigstone Cree Nation in Northern Alberta. Born in High Prairie in 1958, he passed away on September 23, 2008, after a valiant battle with cancer. Auger is best known for his visually stunning and spiritually moving works of art. Through his art, he created a powerful connection for the land and its natural laws. His art bridges two worlds, blending the contemporary with the traditional. Instead of depictions of Indigenous history and day-to-day Indigenous life that formed the core of his art in the past, his vividly coloured acrylics portray the deeper, more spiritual levels of Indigenous life, in particular the intricate links between nature and Indigenous spiritual beliefs. He was a student at the Alberta College of Art, and finished with a Master of Education degree from the University of Calgary and a Ph.D. as well. Not only was he an accomplished visual artist and academic, he was also a singer, playwright, musician, photographer, storyteller and theatrical director. His vivid acrylic paintings portray Indigenous spirituality at its deepest and most powerful levels. |